Doctoral Dissertation Research: An Archaeological Study of Sociopolitical Change in Siin (Senegal), AD 1000-1900

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Under the supervision of Dr. Christopher DeCorse, Francois Richard will conduct his doctoral research in the Siin, a historic province located in west-central Senegal. Growing out of preliminary work begun in 2001 and 2002, the research will collect archaeological materials to examine the formation and development of political systems in the Siin during the past millennium. The AD 1000-1900 period was a time of considerable changes in Senegambia, as the region became gradually immersed into the trans-Saharan economy, the Atlantic system, and the French colonial empire. Despite its modest scale, Siin is depicted in oral traditions and later historical documents as a vibrant cultural crossroads, a haven for migrant populations, and an active player in regional politics. These sources, however, shed little light on long-term social changes, and much remains to be learned about the timing of population movements, the nature of political organization, and the consequences of European expansion for local societies. Archaeology is ideally suited to address these questions, because the distribution of material vestiges in the landscape provides very concrete traces of the transformations which past human societies have experienced. In Siin, a number of target areas will be surveyed to locate habitation sites and plot their geographic position. A preliminary ceramic sequence, which documents time-sensitive shifts in pottery styles, will be used to date surface deposits and place sites in a chronological framework. It is then possible to create maps showing how settlement patterns and sociopolitical organization evolved over time, and begin to question the historical forces responsible for these developments. Limited excavations will help to fine-tune the chronology and deepen understanding of regional history at a few selected sites. For many years, archaeologists and anthropologists have portrayed Africa as a backwater, mostly because its societies did not conform to 'accepted' canons of social evolution. In viewing political development as a linear drive from 'simple' to 'complex,' however, traditional evolutionary models were not only inaccurate, but largely failed to explain the diversity of social courses which human societies worldwide have traveled. Recent research has stressed the potential of African case studies to assist in the development of new theories of social complexity that are mindful of human creativity in adapting to changing conditions. Such work can also help rescue Africa from its position at the margins of history, to document the complex historical factors that have shaped the continent. The Siin provides an excellent environment to pursue these goals, because of the wide array of political systems it has nurtured over the past millennium. The research will likely illustrate how Senegambian societies never lived in isolation but partook at an early time in vast systems of exchange, involving people, goods, and ideas. In addition to making a contribution to the comparative study of social evolution, Mr. Richard's project will also further our understanding of the effects of global developments (Saharan trade, the rise of the capitalist world-system, colonial conquest) on Senegambian societies. Lastly, in collaboration with local communities, the project will ensure the archaeological training of several Senegalese students, while assisting in the professional growth of Mr. Richard himself.